Drunk Driving Prevention

Drunk Driving Prevention

Drinking and driving don't mix. An alcohol-related motor vehicle crash kills someone every 30 minutes and nonfatally injures someone every two minutes

How does alcohol affect a person's ability to drive?

The more a person drinks, the more their ability to make crucial driving decisions becomes impaired. After just one drink, a driver can begin to lose their ability to perform the tasks necessary to drive a car; braking, steering, changing lanes, and using judgement to adjust to changing road conditions. At a certain point, a driver will become legally intoxicated and can be arrested for attempting to operate a motor vehicle.

What does DUI and DWI mean?

DUI means "Driving under the influence" of alcohol or drugs. DWI means "Driving while intoxicated." These terms are used by police. In every state in our country there is a legal limit to how much alcohol you can have in your body if you are driving. If you drink and drive, you can lose your driver's license and even go to jail.

How do you measure how much alcohol is in the blood?

A driver's blood alcohol content (BAC) is measured by the weight of the alcohol in a certain volume of blood. Police test breath to measure a drivers "BAC." It can also be tested in the blood, urine or saliva.

What can you do about drunk driving?

Follow these suggestions from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). 

• Your best defense against a drunk driver is to wear your safety belt, make sure any children in the car are in child safety seats.
• Never ride in a car operated by someone who has been drinking. Call a cab or ask a friend (one who has not been drinking) to drive you home.
• Report drunk drivers to law enforcement from a car or pay phone.
• Keep a safe distance from anyone driving erratically.

• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 10, 265 out of 35,092 driving fatalities in 2015 were alchohol related.

• Be responsible and don't risk it ... you will be caught.

• If you plan to drink, choose a designated driver before going out.

• Take mass transit, a taxicab, or ask a sober friend to drive you home.

• Spend the night where the activity is held.

• Always buckle up - it's your best defense against an impaired driver.
• Nearly three quarters of drivers convicted of driving while impaired are either frequent heavy drinkers (alcohol abusers) or alcoholics (people who are alcohol dependent).
• In its publication The Economic Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that alcohol-related crashes in 2000 were associated with more than $51 billion in costs.